ESPN, Big East agree to six-year digital rights deal

ESPN and the Big East Conference have not been in business with each other since 2013, but that’s about to change.
As ESPN prepares to launch its direct-to-consumer platform this fall, it has reached a six-year digital rights agreement with the Big East, the parties confirmed Tuesday.
Big East sporting events are not returning to linear ESPN as a result of the deal, as the league’s partners on that front are Fox, NBC and TNT Sports. Instead, ESPN takes over for FloSports as a digital partner.
The agreement will see 25 nonconference men’s basketball games featuring Big East teams move to ESPN+ starting this upcoming season. ESPN+ will also carry a minimum of 75 women’s basketball games and 200 Olympic sports events.
It’s a direct deal between the Worldwide Leader and the conference, not a sublicense, and the Big East will produce all the games in question.
“We’re pleased to welcome the BIG East back to ESPN,” Nick Dawson, ESPN senior vice president, programming and acquisitions, said in a statement. “This agreement returns one of the country’s premier conferences and its tradition of excellence to ESPN platforms. We look forward to this new chapter in our relationship with the BIG East.”
“This exciting partnership with ESPN reinforces our commitment to placing BIG East teams front and center on the leading digital sports platform,” BIG East commissioner Val Ackerman said in a statement. “Streaming on ESPN+ gives all 22 of our sports — especially women’s basketball and Olympic sports — the visibility they’ve earned and the access our fans expect. We look forward to delivering elevated coverage and a streamlined viewing experience to fans and family members who want to follow BIG East action across our wide array of sports offerings.”